Former Tourism Fiji CEO Brent Hill, now chief marketing officer for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, has been announced as a speaker at Cairns Crocodiles which includes the Travel Weekly Travel Marketing track.
Cairns Crocodiles brings together world-class marketers, cultural leaders, creatives and founders, reinforcing the Crocs’ reputation as the must-attend marketing and creativity event in the Asia-Pacific. Hill joins G Adventures entrepreneur, philanthropist and founder Bruce Poon Tip in Cairns in May.
Hill said his departure at the end of August 2025 after four years in the job was “bittersweet”. Over the four years of his tenure, Hill guided the organisation through a period of significant transformation and growth, particularly in the wake of the global pandemic.
“His strategic vision, creative energy, and deep commitment to the people and culture of Fiji have left an enduring mark on the organisation and the wider tourism industry,” Tourism Fiji chair Andre Viljoen said at the time.
One of goals reached during his stint was to reach an all-time record, exceeding 1 million arrivals. Hill also helped develop and execute a number of major global brand campaigns, including the widely awarded and recognised “Where Happiness Comes Naturally” brand and campaigns.
Other to join the speaker list include Webjet Group CMO Oonagh Flanagan, global brand and content director for Tourism NT, Alice Bowden, Group CEO and managing director, Webjet Group, Katrina Barry, plus Nina Fitzgerald director at Going North, an Indigenous-owned, Northern Territory-based culture studio and consultancy with deep roots in art, music and fashion.
The new additions to the program represent some serious brand firepower.
“With global CMOs, category disruptors and cultural heavyweights all confirmed, this latest speaker drop signals just how ambitious Cairns Crocodiles 2026 is shaping up to be,” said Pippa Chambers, content director of Cairns Crocodiles.
“The latest additions reflect the festival’s commitment to bringing fresh brand faces and distinctive stories to the stage, and there’s plenty more still to come.”
